Israel News

Bill to Force-Feed Hunger Striking Prisoners Approved by Israel’s Knesset

According to the bill, if Israel’s District Court gives its approval, it will be possible to provide forced medical treatment to striking prisoners – even without their approval.

By Hezki Ezra and Tova Dvorin

The Knesset approved for the first reading a landmark bill Monday which would allow prison authorities to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners, sparking fury from several MKs.

The Government bill seeks to authorize the Commissioner of Prisons to petition the District Court to obtain a permit for medical treatment of hunger-striking prisoners.

The court will take into account the opinion of the ethics committee at the hospital where a patient prisoner, except in urgent cases, and will be required to consider the medical condition and mental state of the prisoner, the degree of intrusiveness of the treatment and its impact on respect for the prisoner. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: hunger strike, hunger strikers, Palestinian prisoners

israelandstuffcom | June 10, 2014

Israel’s 1st Gypsy Police Officer Made Aliyah From Siberia

After discovering that her mother had Jewish roots, Tania Leontieff who had spent her childhood in a Gypsy tribe on the frozen plains of Siberia, immigrated to Israel alone, converted & is to become a policewoman assigned to the Jerusalem district.

By Daniel Siryoti

At only 19, Tania Leontieff of Safed has an interesting life story. As the daughter of an itinerant Gypsy (Roma) family, most of her life was spent moving from place to place around eastern Europe. Four years ago, Leontieff discovered that she had Jewish roots and made the bold decision to move to Israel alone. She was recently drafted into the Israel Police and become Israel’s first Gypsy policewoman.

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: Aliyah, Gypsy, Israel Police

NGO accuses Israel of war crime in Palestinian teens’ deaths, but evidence yells ‘staged’

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Human Rights Watch says IDF assurances that its soldiers didn’t use live ammunition on May 15, does not stand up to critical perusal.

By Reuters

The killing last month of two Palestinian teenagers during a protest in the West Bank might constitute a war crime by Israel, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Monday.

An image from the video that purportedly shows the shooting deaths of two Palestinians in Beitunia on May 15 – Photo: Defense for Children International Palestine website

Palestinian medics said Muhammad Abu Thahr, 16, and Nadim Nuwara, 17, were shot dead by IDF troops using live ammunition on May 15 as they took part in the demonstration. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Beitunia, HRW, IDF, Pallywood

Catholic Church Appears to Now Control King David’s Tomb – Jews Ejected By Police

The Mass prayers took place after all Jews were evicted from the holy site by Israeli police & Yassam special forces since it was not in the accepted “Room of the Last Supper” on the 2nd floor of the Compound.

By Shimon Cohen, Ari Yashar

In further proof of the fixed nature of Christian Mass services being imposed on the David’s Tomb Compound, services which were filmed on Sunday, it now turns out that Mass was held again on Monday morning – this time in the very room where King David’s Tomb is said to be located.

After Mass services at David’s Tomb – Photo: Rabbanit Yocheved Grossman

Rabbanit Yocheved Grossman, a lead activist for King David’s Tomb, reported to Arutz Sheva that numerous priests and monks held Mass services in the room of King David’s grave marker. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: Catholic Church, David's Tomb, Pope's visit 2014

MK Lapid threatens he’ll bring down Netanyahu’s gov’t if West Bank annexed

Finance Minister Lapid offers his plan to end ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict by freezing settlement construction and outlying Israel’s future borders.

By Attila Somfalvi

Amid the halted peace process and Israel’s increasing isolation in the international community, Finance Minister Yair Lapid threatened Sunday to bring down the government if it decides to unilaterally annex the West Bank, and called to freeze settlement construction and map out Israel’s future borders.

MK Yair Lapid, Minister of Finance, speaking at the 14th Annual Herzliya Conference – Screenshot

In a document released Sunday, the senior government minister criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, and urges a halt of construction in the West Bank, particularly in areas Israel was not expected to keep in any future peace accord. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: annexation, West Bank, Yair Lapid

Israel’s Prime Minister Awards Medals to Tapuah Junction Heroes

P.M. Netanyahu presented medals to Magav policemen & soldiers who bravely prevented a major terror attack last week in Samaria.

By Yaakov Levi

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday presented a medal of honor to four IDF border guards and three IDF soldiers for their actions in preventing a major terror attack at the Tapuah junction last week. The ceremony took place in the Jerusalem Border Guard base in the presence of Amos Yaakov, head of the Border Guard Units, and Public Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovich.

The incident that prompted the awarding of the medals occurred last Monday night, as a terrorist opened fire at Border Police officers who were stationed at the Tapuah Junction in Samaria, near the city of Ariel. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: arab terrorism, MAGAV, Tapuah junction, terror attack

Israel: Ministerial Committee Approve Euthanasia Bill

Author of proposed euthanasia legislation, yet to go up for Knesset vote, says it will ‘put Israel in forefront of enlightened nations’.

By i24news

The Israeli Ministerial Committee on Legislation on Sunday approved a bill to make assisted suicide legal for terminal patients.

Doctor at University of Miami giving vaccination to a girl – Photo: Joe Raedle -Getty Images/AFP/File

The bill passed by a majority of eight to two; one minister chose to abstain from voting. In order to become ratified as a law, the bill must pass a vote at the country’s parliament, the Knesset.

It was put forth by Knesset Member Ofer Shelah from the centrist Yesh Atid party. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: euthanasia, Knesset

It’s Imperative to Update ‘Israel’s National Security Doctrine’

Ahead of convening the Herzliya Conference, researchers at the Interdisciplinary Center suggest adapting new concepts.

By Amos Harel

The security doctrine of the State of Israel needs a major overhaul in order to meet the challenges produced by the changes that have taken place in the Middle East in recent years, including technological developments. This, according to a panel of experts that met several times to prepare for the 14th Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Herzliya Conference, which opens Sunday and runs through Tuesday.

Relationship with U.S. is Israel’s most important asset, experts say: U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel greets his Israeli counterpart, Moshe Ya’alon, at the Pentagon, June 14, 2013.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Herzliya Conference, IDC

Making History: ‘Life Without Parole Bill’ Approved for Vote, Next Stop, the Knesset

Israel’s Economics Minister Naftali Bennett posts a victory comment on his Facebook page shortly after bill passed committee vote, praises ‘end to ‘murder deal’ only in Israel.’

By Tova Dvorin

The “Life Without Parole” bill has passed in a Security Committee vote, Economics Minister Naftali Bennett revealed in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon, providing a significant stumbling block for future terrorist releases.

“This moment, the government approved the law against releasing terrorists,” Bennett wrote. “Today, we end the ‘murder deal’ – a deal which exists only in Israel. Under the new law, [terrorists convicted of] serious acts of murder could see the judge give them a life sentence without the possibility of parole.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Naftali Bennett, Palestinian prisoners, prisoner release

Israel’s satellites to be eyes in the sky for int’l search & rescue efforts

Israel Space Agency joins forces with ImageSat, which operates Israel’s EROS A & B satellites, so that real-time images can be immediately conveyed to the relevant authorities via the U.N.

By Ilan Gattegno

Israel will start providing satellite data as well as images that will help rescuers operate at disaster scenes all over the world, increasing the nation’s contribution to international search and rescue efforts.

The EROS A satellite is launched into space – Photo: Reuters

The idea for Israel’s satellites to serve as eyes in the sky at disaster sites came about as part of the ongoing cooperation between the Israel Space Agency and the U.N. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Space Agency, satellite, space

President Peres gets Prime Minister’s blessing to join Abbas & Pope for prayer at Vatican

Despite termination of peace-talks, Israel’s President will lead an interfaith delegation to Rome, where he will call upon leaders of all religions to work together towards inter-religious dialogue.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN

Despite Israel’s objections to the Palestinian unity government, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and members of the government, realizing the historic importance of the occasion, gave President Shimon Peres the green light to accept the invitation of Pope Francis and travel to the Vatican on Sunday for an interfaith prayer for peace in the Middle East.

Pope Francis meets President Shimon Peres – Photo: קובי גדעון/לע”מ

Although arrangements were made in advance, it was not certain until Thursday afternoon that Peres would receive the necessary approval. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Pope Francis I, Shimon Peres, Vatican

Clinton’s memoir: Obama’s demand for 2009 settlement freeze was ‘tactical mistake’

In soon to be released memoir, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, (& possible 2016 presidential candidate) says White House hard line on Jewish construction did not work, and describes Obama’s fury at PM Netanyahu.

By Barak Ravid

Former U.S. Secretary of State claims in a new memoir that the American administration made a tactical error by demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze construction in the settlements in 2009.

U.S. President Barack Obama with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the White House in Washington, September 1, 2010. – Photo: Reuters

“In retrospect, our early, hard line on settlements didn’t work,” Clinton writes in Hard Choices, to be released next week, AP reported.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Barack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hillary Clinton, Israel settlements, Mahmoud Abbas, Middle East peace

israelandstuffcom | June 6, 2014

Palestinians swear ‘unprecedented response’ to newest Jewish housing construction

While Livni says the decision to build 1,500 new homes is another diplomatic blunder, Housing Minister says additional Jewish construction is the only “fitting Zionist response to the formation of a Palestinian terror gov’t.”

By Israel Hayom Staff

Israel’s Housing Ministry announced Wednesday that it was advancing plans for 1,500 new housing units in Judea, Samaria and east Jerusalem in response to the establishment of a new Palestinian unity government.

The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo – Photo: AP

Israel has vowed to take punitive action in response to the Palestinian unity government formed last week because it is backed by the militant group Hamas.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jewish construction, new construction

israelandstuffcom | June 6, 2014